By now it is common knowledge: plastic is considered the “evil of our century” and unfortunately of the centuries to come as well. Why exactly is the expression “of our century” used?
Because its excessive production began after the Second World War. And half of all the plastic on the planet has been produced since 2002 and this production is constantly increasing.
While on the one hand this material has revolutionised many sectors, such as the medical and the automotive sector, on the other it has been used out of all proportion for single-use items.
Today 40% of the plastic produced every year is single-use, which increases the likelihood of it being dispersed into the environment and of it not being recycled.
The global impact is very strong. The first to pay the consequences in terms of health are the workers in this supply chain (production and disposal) and then, in a cascade, the whole population and the terrestrial ecosystem.
Why is people’s health at risk?
Unfortunately plastic is not inert and therefore releases harmful chemical substances into whatever it comes into contact with. The trouble is that in most cases this means food, drinks and food supplements.
One molecule that has been particularly investigated in recent years is Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical substance widely used in all industrialised countries, employed in the production of polycarbonate plastics (very widespread thanks to their transparency and their thermal and mechanical resistance), used in food containers and in the epoxy resins that make up the internal protective coating found in most food and drink cans.
Uses outside the food sector range from the thermal paper of till receipts to dental devices. Let’s find out more!
- New evidence on Bisphenol A in the human body: excessive exposure
- Our own direct analysis: supplement packaging compared
New evidence on Bisphenol A in the human body: excessive exposure
A study recently published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) has shown that bisphenol A is present, and in excessively high doses, in the bodies of European citizens1.
Bisphenol A is found in a great many everyday objects, for example:
- food containers in plastic and metal,
- reusable water bottles,
- toys.
According to the data collected, the population’s exposure to this substance is well above the acceptable levels of health safety established by EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority).
Harmful effects of bisphenol A on health had already been brought to light previously, in particular:
- endocrine disorders
- reduced fertility
- skin allergic reactions
Following further assessments, in April 2023 EFSA set lower thresholds2 in order to avoid these risks, also taking the view that bisphenol A may negatively affect the immune system.
The scientific world today holds differing opinions but the European Environment Agency confirms the EFSA assessments. The conclusions come from the European Union human biomonitoring data (HBM4EU), gathered from January 2017 to June 2022, on the presence of chemical substances in the European population and on the associated impacts on health3.
Bisphenol S and bisphenol F (BPA substitutes) were also included in this monitoring. The investigations were carried out on 2,756 urine samples from adults in 11 European countries (Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Switzerland) and recorded a level of threshold exceedance ranging between 71% and 100%.
From these data it is clear that the European population is subject to excessively high exposure to the various types of bisphenol and that this constitutes a potential health problem.
At present, however, only France has completely banned bisphenol, a measure which, taken in isolation, is ineffective given that goods and products circulate freely at European level.
Our own direct analysis: packaging compared
Bisphenols are not the only molecules released by plastic that give cause for concern where people’s health is concerned. Another very important group of molecules is that of the phthalates.
These are in fact considered endocrine disruptors, meaning that they can interfere with the normal function of various hormones, especially the sex hormones.
The consequence of taking them in continuously can be a hormonal imbalance that alters the wellbeing and the regular development of children, women and men.
This is why at Salugea we wanted to check some food supplements from precisely this point of view.
The question behind our investigation was: “In your opinion, can a food supplement kept in plastic bottles contain substances released by the container that will end up on the capsules and tablets, or in the liquid you are going to take?”
In order to give a concrete answer, at Salugea we carried out a genuine scientific experiment.
Objective: to verify directly, as already shown by numerous scientific studies, that plastic containers can release synthetic substances, albeit in traces, which can amount to something decidedly unnatural in a product that ought instead to be entirely natural.
Objects of the analysis: Aloe Vera Juices commonly available on the market and kept in plastic bottles, compared with our Organic Aloe Vera Juice kept in pharmaceutical-grade dark glass.
The tests were carried out in an accredited analysis laboratory and the objective was precisely to assess the presence of “phthalates”, chemical substances that can be released from the plastic of the bottles into the product.
We carried out the test under two different conditions: at room temperature and under thermal stress.
Results of the test at room temperature:
- In our Organic Aloe Vera Juice Salugea: no trace of phthalates. The result was fairly predictable, since glass is a highly inert material that does not tend to release foreign substances. (see annex 1)
- In an Aloe juice available on the market and packaged in a plastic bottle, traces of a substance belonging to the group of the Phthalates were found instead (see annex 2).
The concentration found does not exceed the legal limits. Now let us think about how many times a day we take in foods, drinks or food supplements kept in plastic. Taken individually these items may well be within the rules, but the problem arises when these traces add up, as happens every day.
We also wanted to test what it means to expose natural products contained in plastic to high temperatures for short periods.
This is the sort of situation that can arise in winter near heat sources or in summer, inside warehouses at uncontrolled temperatures, or inside vehicles left standing during the day or at the weekend under the scorching sun.
Results of the test (at the same laboratory) on samples kept at 40° for 3 weeks:
- The Organic Aloe Vera Juice Salugea confirmed, even under these conditions, that it had not the slightest trace of substances released by the glass into the product (see annex 1 part 2).
- the Aloe Vera Juice contained in a plastic bottle showed a value of synthetic substance dissolved in the product more than five and a half times higher than the one found earlier at room temperature and, this time, above the legal limits allowed (see annex 2 part 2).
This shows that, in fact, containers made of plastic materials can tend to release synthetic chemical substances into the products held inside them and that this release increases dramatically when the bottle is subjected to thermal stress for prolonged periods.
A very likely event, especially in summer or if it is near heat sources.
Nor should we think that buying a product in winter automatically protects it from this surplus of phthalates.
In fact, what we find on the shelves or what a retailer offers us may, for example, have travelled in summer and therefore have been subjected to extreme summer heat.
At Salugea you have the certainty of always finding food supplements kept in pharmaceutical-grade dark glass, the only material able to guarantee the quality and safety of the product over time.
A quality choice, which we confirm every day for a truly deeper wellbeing and for a better protected environment.